The Camden Diocese Continues to Chase \”The Almighty Dollar\”

Hi Bill,

I am not a graduate of Gloucester Catholic and yet I am another person who has been \”closed down\” or \”regionalized\” by the Diocese of Camden.\” With a letter in my children\’s backpacks, I was notified of the closure of Sacred Heart Elementary School in Mount Ephraim. This was 2 years after many parents made significant contributions to the parish of which 50% went to the school for renovations which included new windows, flooring, etc.

We kicked and screamed enough to have a meeting with the Diocese administrators to discuss the closing but their minds were made up and their plans were in place long before we said our peace and made proposal after proposal on how we could increase the funding and keep the school open.

Bill, the bottom line is the bottom line for the Diocese in terms of black and red. They do not care about history and tradition. They do not care about the impact that 2 empty and vacant buildings in the center of the Gloucester City community. They care about how many additional, new students they can lure, with undoubtedly a higher tuition to a brand new high school in Mullica Hill. Nothing else matters to them.

The shame of it all is that they are losing so many souls who simply give up to the religion who has given up on them. The foundation of the Catholic School is the Catholic Education. When you educate your population in God\’s teachings, they give back to the church and community. When you show your parishioners and community that you simply don\’t care what they think and you will go about your plan to close and regionalize you Catholic Schools, and \”relocate\” as the try to pull of the Gloucester Catholic move, you turn your back on them.

Is it any surprise that people are abandoning the church in droves. When you step inside the church, how many young people do you see? What is the average age of the parishioners who are attending? Abandoned Catholic\’s and their children stop attending church. Why go to a place where you have been abandoned yourself. The Diocese saw fit to close your schools and regionalize your parishes. Do you just continue to take it from them?

What happens when they tell you that St. Mary\’s has too few parishioners and costs too much to remain open? What happens when the backlash hits were all the affected Gloucester Catholic students and parents stop showing up for mass and stop putting money in the collection boxes? When Sacred Heart Elementary closed the Sunday collections were immediately cut in half.

With few people entering the vocations and no change coming from the Vatican, the richest, non-profit corporation in the world, and the largest real estate landholder (The Catholic Church), will be bringing you video priest and home mass to you soon.

Bill, your article hit a nerve. Best Regards.

Tom Taraschi